Thus, in this study, a metabolomics approach based on UPLC/TOF-MS was used to in- vestigate the biochemical changes in rats subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and the preventative therapeutic effects of BNC. We identified potential biomarkers relating to the perturbed metabolic pathways in MCAO rats in order to better understand the pathogenesis of acute ischemic stroke in the early stages, along with the underlying mechanisms of BNC.